


Bottled Up

by ArcticAquatic



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Depression, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sex, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-01 08:58:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18797143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticAquatic/pseuds/ArcticAquatic
Summary: There's more than emotions that come back from those bottles.





	1. Chapter 1

Quentin, Margo, and Eliot lifted the emotion bottles to their lips and quickly drank the contents. However, something was different from the last time they did this. His head felt like it was going to burst. It was too much to handle in addition to the emotions coming back as well.

 “H-...holy fuck!” Quentin shouted and collapsed to the ground. Penny rolled his eyes at the outburst. Margo was crying. Eliot turned away and hugged himself.

And Quentin remembered. It was a lot like remembering last time.

Fillory. Killing the beast. Alice dying. Giving up magic. Alice as a niffin. Reynard. Losing magic. The quests. Peaches and Plums. Arielle. _Teddy_ . Eliot breaking his heart. Him volunteering to stay forever. The library. Being Brian. The monster in _his_ body and-

 He died.

 He killed himself? Sacrificed himself?

 His funeral and his own anguish. His friends’ grief...but acceptance. Like his friends accepted that he was gone so easily. Like he was meant to die.

 But _this_ , this was years ago. His hair was longer and hung in his face, like before Brian cut it. Maybe Penny had him walk through the wrong door because he was back at Brakebills and there was magic and the Alice he fell in love with and their Penny not dead and _Eliot._

 Eliot. Alive and and maybe a little broken but undeniably his _Eliot._

 “Coldwater, what the fuck are you thinking about in your weird little head right now?” Penny snapped.

 Fuck. He slammed his wards down. Unfortunately that only made Penny worse.

 “Okay you’re not that good at wards. What the fuck is going on?”

 “I...uh. Fuck. Uh…” Quentin sobbed.

 “Seriously, what the fuck was all that?” Penny was stalking towards him.

 “Penny what’s going on?” Alice asked, laying a hand on Penny’s shoulder.

 “Coldwater is thinking some weird ass shit. Something about, I dunno, the beast, but more than that. _A lot_ about Eliot.” That made Eliot break out of his emotion funk a little.

 “Oh?” Eliot asked, his eyebrow twitching in interest. “Anything explicit?”

 “Unfortunately.” Penny’s face scrunched in disgust,

 “Little Q I didn’t know you had it in you!” Eliot laughed.

 “Look! I uh.. Shit.” Quentin tugged at his hair, suddenly annoyed at the length. “I’m from the future?”

 “How far?” Alice asked. There was a small downward tug at her lip, like she smelled something bad.

 “That’s hard to add. With timelines and all.” Quentin huffed. “Mentally I’m probably over seventy, but I died in my twenties.” Quentin laughed but there was no humor. He dug his fingernails into the skin of his palm. The memory of his death still fresh in his mind.

 “Timelines?” Alice urged him.

 “Died?” Margo questioned.

 “Oh. Did we not get there yet?” Quentin stood shakily. “Um, so, Eliza is Jane Chatwin.”

 “What-” Margo snapped in.

 “She has a watch that makes time loops. She’s been using it to try and stop the beast, who is actually Martin Chatwin.”

 “Again, what?”

 “This is the fortieth time. Every time she changes something to try and make sure we can defeat the beast.” Quentin continues. He made sure not to look at Eliot.

 “So what’s different about this time?” Alice asked.

 “Uhh Julia wasn’t accepted to Brakebi- Oh shit! Julia! We have to go! Penny.” He stalked over to Penny and grabbed his hand roughly. “Take me to New York.”

 “Dude-”

 “Now!”

 “I can’t take you with me. That’s not how it works.” Penny yanked his hands away.

 “Fuck. You don’t have the tattoo yet.” Quentin rubbed his face sharply. “Can you go to Julia and tell her to uh. Stop the goddess stuff and call me. Please.” He pleaded.

 “You know what? Sure, man. Whatever.” Penny vanished in a second.

 “Jesus.” He massaged his temples.

 “Q?” Alice asked, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah, I mm we should all just uhh go to bed for now. Eliot and Margo are still emotion drunk. Let’s just. Put this on hold.” He stepped out of Alice’s touch and walked into the cottage, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

Penny appeared a while later.

“She’s confused but she said she would call you, man.”

“Thanks, Penny.” Quentin stared at his phone sitting on the table in front of him.

Penny left the cottage without another word. Alice wandered through a bit later, looking like she wanted to talk, but he didn’t spare a glance. He knew he owed her an explanation, but Julia was his priority right now and- he didn’t remember what things were like with Alice before he went and fucked it up. She went to bed. Eliot and Margo stumbled through later. Giggling from the wine.

His phone buzzed.

“Jules-” He breathed.

“Quentin what was so important-”

“This Lady of the Underground. It’s not what you think. It’s a trickster God trying to get to you. Please, whatever you do, don’t do the summoning.”

“Q, how did you even know about that?”

“I can explain in person, just please. Promise me. Come to Brakebills. Please.” His eyes stung. He didn’t want Julia to go through what she went through last time. Anything but that.

“I thought I didn’t belong there.” She said icily.

“You do. You belong here more than anyone Jules. I was wrong and I hurt you and I’m sorry. I was so excited to have something that I was better at that I was too selfish to care that I was hurting you. You belong here.” He sobbed. “More than me.”

 “Q…” She breathed. “I’ll...I’ll be there. Just tell me how.”

“Thank you, Jules. I’ll get you here.”

“Okay, Q. I love you.”

“I love you too, Jules. Bye.” He set the phone down and sat back shakily, the anxiety leaving his body. His stomach unclenching but his mind still racing. He was really tired but he didn’t think he was going to get any sleep. He exited the cottage and walked to the Dean’s office.

He opened the door after knocking briefly.

“Mr. Coldwater. I don’t remember inviting you in.” Fogg set a bottle of Brandy behind his desk like it wasn’t mostly empty.

“I need you to bring Julia here.” Quentin said, folding his arms.

“Ms. Wicker was not accepted to the program, Quentin. I can’t start making exceptio-”

“Meta-Composition.” Quentin cut in.

“Excuse me?” Fogg said, not giving anything away, but Quentin wouldn’t budge.

“You know exactly what that means.” He snapped. “I know about the time loops. Julia is in danger. Bring her here, now.”

“This isn’t how it usually goes.” Fogg ventured.

“No it isn’t. And I intend to keep it that way.”

“Okay. She’ll be here in the morning.” He relented and sat back in his chair.

“Good.”

“Quentin, can I ask-”

“No.” He turned on his heel and left. If he was honest with himself he was still absolutely pissed about Fogg erasing their memories. For leaving them vulnerable. He wasn’t usually so spiteful, but he guess he wanted someone else to blame for just a second.

Back in his bed, he stared at the ceiling, not feeling the least bit tired and very mad at his body for it. That’s why he was awake when his door creaked open.

“Q?” A voice whispered into the room, filling the silence.

“I’m awake.” He sat up.

He really wasn’t surprised to see Eliot.

“Can I come in?” He asked.

“Yeah. Aren’t you like, really drunk?”

“Oh when am I not Q?” Eliot said, sliding onto the bed next to Quentin. He scooched over to make room. “So, tell me about these sex dreams you showed Penny.” He poked Quentin in the middle of the forehead. Quentin rolled his eyes.

“I don’t have sex dreams about you. Don’t flatter yourself.” He deflected.

“Oh, not dreams then?” Eliot pressed.

Quentin didn’t meet his eyes in the low light of the room, but his face flushed.

“Oh wow, future-me must have given you the dicking of your life.” Eliot joked.

Quentin looked away.

“Holy shit, Q, really?”

“...Uhh…” He breathed out, closing in on himself. “It wasn’t… Eliot it wasn’t just-” He couldn’t continue. “Look, you don’t have to feel obligated to be here. I know you’re still hurting after Mike and it’s not fair to drop this on you, but you don’t have to hurt alone, El.” Quentin finally looked Eliot in the eyes, letting him know he was serious about this.

He could see Eliot’s face change, trying to come up with some clever joke or deflection about how he was doing.

“No, Eliot. Don’t pretend.” Quentin reached up to cup Eliot’s face, but he remembered himself and took his hand back. “I mean um.”

Eliot’s face crumpled. “Holy fuck. You really care about me.” He choked out.

“El, of course I do, you’re my friend.”

“No you’re in love with me, or him. Who I’ll be.”

“I am. Was.” He brought his knees up to his chest.

“Tell me about it.” Eliot looked at him sharply, a few tears running down his cheeks. The bags under his eyes seemed more prominent in the soft light coming through the window, reflecting the recent drug abuse and crying.

“Really? I don’t know if that’s a great idea.”

“Yeah, tell me about how I seduced you. Did life retain its sparkle?”

“I guess it started tonight actually.” Quentin huffed a laugh. “In my timeline, we were all emotion drunk and you, me, and Margo had a threesome.”

“What?” Eliot cracked a smile. “Shit let’s do your timeline again.”

Quentin laughed. “Yeah it wasn’t so much fun in the morning when Alice found us.”

“Oof.” Eliot looked appropriately sympathetic.

“Yeah it kinda fucked things up between me and her kinda permanently. That, followed by her turning into a niffin. It’s okay though, we got her back. Kind of.”

“Fuck…”

“But um, magic went away and we went on a quest. Just you and me. We got stuck in past Fillory. And we, lived together. For fifty years. We had a family.” His breath caught. “You died. I buried you, Eliot.” He tucked his face into his knees. “But then Margo stopped us before we ever went on the quest, but we still remembered.” Eliot laid a hand between his shoulder blades and began to rub soothing circles into his back. “You, um. Didn’t want to continue the relationship.”

“If I know me, Q, and I like to think I do. I was probably just being a coward. I don’t really do well with caring about people, considering the last time I opened up to someone…” He cut himself off and retracted his hand.

“Shit, Eliot.” Quentin sighed. “Is it okay if I?” He put his arms out. Eliot nodded. Quentin moved into Eliot’s space, burying his head in the crook of his neck. “You’ll be okay, El. One day.”

“Are you trying to tell me it gets better?” Eliot asked with a crooked smile.

“God, no.” Quentin played along. “I’m trying to tell you you’re not alone here.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hey, I wrote the last chapter during finals, but those are officially over so I'm back. Thank you all for the kudos and especially for the comments on the last chapter. I really appreciate it! I don't know how much longer this fic is going to be, but by God if the writers don't give them their happy ending I will.

Quentin was sat up against the headboard, his fingers threading through Eliot’s curls. Eliot had fallen asleep on Quentin’s bed last night after their little talk. Without any words, Eliot had begun to cry quietly. He ended up falling asleep with his head tucked in Quentin’s lap.

He imagined he was going to have a hell of a headache when he woke up.

The door to his room creaked open and Alice’s head poked through. Quentin held a finger to his lips and snuck out from underneath Eliot’s sleeping form. He slipped into the hallway and shut the door behind him.

“Alice.” Quentin started.

“Quentin.”

“I owe you an apology.” He shifted his weight awkwardly to the other foot. “I shouldn’t have avoided you yesterday but I was freaked out. Understandably.” Her face creased. “Also, you should know, you and I haven’t been together in...a while.”

“I could’ve guessed that between Penny’s comment from yesterday and now you’re cuddling Eliot in bed.” She bit out.

“I’m not cuddling, I was comforting, okay, no matter what happened, he’s my friend and he’s hurting.” He shot back.

“What happened to us Quentin?”

“I...was a shitty person, and I hurt you. A lot. You didn’t deserve it at all. I wish I could’ve been a better boyfriend to you Alice, but then you...died.” He hugged himself. “We got you back but you were never the same after. We tried one more time before the end, but it was sort of out of desperation and some nostalgia on your part I think.”

“I died and was able to come back? What happened to Eliot?” She asked, always trying to know every part of a story.

“Yeah, I think we all died one way or another. Penny found new life after death though so no one really wanted to drag him away from his book club.” She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think anyone was coming for me though.” He coughed. “Eliot was...he was possessed?”

“What? By a ghost? They’re not able to possess human forms, they really on-”

“No, Alice. Not a ghost.” He cut her off. “A monster.”

“Oh.”

“Um, also I think it’s best if we, aa, um. Hmm.” He retreated a bit.

“I understand, Quentin.” She smiled sadly. Quentin really wished he stopped being the cause of that expression on Alice’s face. He loved her. Still loves her, if he’s honest. Just not in the same way, and after everything, he doesn’t think things could ever feel right between them.

“I’m really sorry Alice. You don’t deserve this. Again.”

“You can’t control how you feel Quentin.” She began to leave. “But just so you know, I don’t believe for one second we gave up on you that easily.”

Quentin smiled and reached out to stop her, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you, Alice, for everything. Despite it all, you’re still one of the most brilliant people I know.” His eyes welled up.

When she pulled back, her smile was more genuine. This time, she left without Quentin stopping her.

When Quentin slipped back into his room, Eliot was awake, but he did not seem happy about it.

“Owwwwwww” He groaned, muffled from where he was smashed into the pillow. “This is the worst hangover I’ve ever had. Well. Top ten for sure.”

Quentin fished out a couple aspirin out of a container sitting next to his bed. “El. Here.”

Eliot took the pills and tossed them back dry. “Leave me to die, Q. You can’t save me.” He flopped back onto the bed.

“God, I forgot how dramatic you are.” He smiled, rising again to get Eliot some water.

Eliot reached out with honestly more coordination than he should have right now and snatched up Quentin’s wrist.

Quentin stopped and turned back towards Eliot. “Um. Yes?”

“About what happened last night…” Eliot’s lips twisted downward.

“Don’t worry, Eliot. I won’t go telling everyone you have emotions. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Quentin, I’m not...your Eliot.” He sighed, releasing his grip. “I know that’s what you want but I can’t be that man you lived with for fifty years and that you fell in love with.” He said the last part quietly, so quietly. I can’t...do this with you.”

“Eliot…” Quentin sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m not asking you to be anyone but you, and I know you can’t understand it right now, but you are my Eliot. In any version of you, any timeline, any future, you are my Eliot. The man I had a crush on the moment I saw you lounging across the Brakebills sign like an Oscar Wilde fantasy.” He chuckled and Eliot huffed a laugh as well, but didn’t meet his eyes. “I’m not asking you to feel anyway about me, Eliot. That wouldn’t be fair, but don’t doubt that...um...I love you. And I’m here. Whenever.” He smiled, not unlike Alice did a couple minutes earlier, and slipped out of the room.

In the kitchen, he began to fill a glass with water, but it was promptly snatched from his hand. “Uh-”

“Shhhshsh!” Margo hissed and drank quickly. “Don’t.” She whispered. She finished off the glass and set it on the counter with a clunk. “So, how’s El?” She asked, sounding more human.

“Uh. Not like, emotionally great. Or physically, I guess um. He’s bad Margo. He killed his boyfriend.” Quentin finally got out.

“I know, idiot.” She snapped, wiping her hands on her face. “Sorry, I’m just worried about him.” She sighed.

“I know, Margo.”

“He’s just.” She breathed out. “He’s just not okay and he doesn’t care.” She curled in on herself.

Quentin felt a sudden deja vu as he wrapped Margo in an embrace. “If it helps, he gets better. Eventually. You guys make up. I hope you talked it out, but that’s not likely. These things take time, and it doesn’t help that both you and Eliot are...um...stubborn with feelings.”

She laughed wetly into his shoulder. “Yeah.”

“You should keep trying though. To talk. He’ll crack eventually.”

“You sound experienced.” She looked up at him.

“You could say I have a few years of dealing with Eliot Waugh’s tantrums.” They smiled at each other, separating when there was a knock at the cottage door.

Quentin moved to open it while Margo adjusted herself.

“Julia. You made it.” He breathed.

“Q.” She smiled, tentatively. “I’m- I fucked up Q. I was really dumb and I hurt you. I’m sorry.” She frowned, unwilling to enter the cottage.

“Jules, what are y- Oh! The Scarlatti Web! We’ve both fucked up Jules. We can call it even.” He reached out to hug her and she eagerly stepped into the embrace. “Oh, hi Kady. It’s good you’re here too.” He said over Julia’s shoulder.

“So, what’s going on?” Kady asked, pushing passed them.

“We need to go to Fillory.” He stated, exiting the hug.

“Q, what?” Julia asked, looking at him like he’d finally gone off the deep end.

“Fillory is real and we need to go there so we don’t die from the beast. Also, um, I’m from the future. By the way.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, a nervous habit. “Gods are real, but the thing you’re calling? His name is Reynard and he slaughters most of you guys. So, please stop trying to do that.” He gets out. Julia and Kady stare with wide eyes.

“Q, I don’t...what do you mean the future?”

Quentin took the time to fill them in on the time loops, Jane, and Fillory. “You were what changed this time, Julia. You’re supposed to be at Brakebills. I wasn’t just saying that.”

“How did you end up here then?” Kady asked him.

“I don’t know. Maybe it had to do with how I died, but I just came back-to last night, but I remember everything. Right now though, we need to go to Fillory. We’re leaving tomorrow. You guys should come with us. You’re honestly some of the strongest casters I know.” His lips twitched up.

“Of course I’ll be there Q. Can you imagine? You and me going to Fillory?” She smiled. “Or I guess you can imagine.”

“Of course.” He smiled at her. “Also, Kady, Penny is coming so…”

“Aw, fuck.” She grit out.

“ _The_ Penny?” Julia asked with a small smile.

“I need a drink.”

“I can help with that.” Margo said, finally entering the conversation and pulling Kady away, Julia following after.

After waving her off, rolling his eyes because it was ten in the morning guys, he went to complete his original mission of getting water for Eliot. He walked back up the stairs, nodding to Alice as she was coming down. Opening the door to his room, he saw Eliot had fallen back asleep.

Quentin shook his shoulder. “Eliot, you should drink some water.” He said softly.

“Mmnh.” Eliot replied eloquently and took the glass, eyes still lidded with sleep.

“Julia and Kady just arrived.” Quentin informed him.

“Ah. Hedge-Bitch _es_.” Eliot grinned.

“Play nice.” Q scolded and took the empty glass, setting it on the bedside table.

“Q?” Eliot asked.

“Yeah?” He said turning to Eliot. He looked...nervous?

Eliot slid one of his hands into a very familiar spot on the back of Quentin’s neck. The place he always put a hand when they- “Would you be mad if I kissed you?” Ah.

“Um, would you be mad if I said absolutely not?”

Eliot smirked and leaned forward into Quentin, gently connecting their lips in a way that was like every time Quentin and Eliot kissed before, but it was also a lot like a first kiss. Quentin couldn’t help the joy bubbling in his heart at being able to kiss Eliot Waugh again, the love of one of his lives, and hopefully another.

Quentin turned his body to more easily kiss Eliot until he was straddling Eliot, who was leaning against Quentin’s headboard. Eliot’s mouth moved lower until he was biting into the sensitive skin of Quentin’s neck.

“Ah, El…” He huffed. Eliot slid a hand up Quentin’s t-shirt, grabbing his waist. “El, wait.”

Eliot immediately extracted himself from Quentin. “Sorry, I thought-”

“El, I don’t want this if you’re not ready.”

“Quentin...Something Coldwater. I have had the lamest crush on your dorky ass since the moment you said ‘uhnuh’ to me. If you’re worried about my consent, don’t be. It’s a yes.” Eliot leaned back in to nibble at Quentin’s collarbone.

“I just...hhh...if you’re still hurting. I don’t want you... trying to make yourself happy with sex?” He squeaked as Eliot tweaked one of his nipples.

Eliot leaned back again, looking more exasperated this time. However, his fingers still stayed where they were, massaging and pinching Quentin’s nipple. “First off, we could die tomorrow, so emotional trauma or no, I’m gonna have sex with the nerdy ass guy who’s apparently my soulmate, besides Bambi of course, and has been eye-fucking me for a day now.” He twisted his fingers and Quentin doubled over, breathing heavy. “Second, if you can still talk, I’m not doing my job right.” Eliot lifted Quentin’s shirt until it was just sitting over his pecs and began to bite Quentin’s chest, still playing with him.

Quentin reached out to hold on to Eliot, to find purchase or anything. “Ah ah.” Eliot tutted, and with a small motion, Quentin’s arms were firmly, telekinetically, behind his back.

“Ohhh God.” Quentin breathed, grinding down on Eliot from where Quentin was still straddling him. Eliot took his sweet time, but eventually made his way to Quentin’s pants, and pulled out his cock, which had already begun to leak.

“Aw, you have a pretty cute cock, Q.” Eliot smiled at Quentin, who was flushed red.

“Fuck...you...that’s what you said last time...bastard.” Quentin ground out, panting.

Eliot chuckled and flipped Quentin on his back.

“Eliot, wh-aaaaa.” Quentin gasped as Eliot’s mouth liked a stripe up his cock. “Fuck...fuck…” He whimpered. His arms were trapped beneath him on the mattress and all he could do it buck helplessly upwards, but even that ended when Eliot held his hips down. Eliot’s tongue swirled around the tip of his cock until he lowered his head, taking it into his mouth. Quentin groaned and Eliot began to move up and down, fucking his mouth on Quentin. “El...you have to....s-stop, I’m gonna..” El pulled his mouth off with an obscene pop that made Quentin flush even deeper if possible. “Want..”

“Oh? Q, I didn’t know you had it in you.” Eliot said playfully, in his comfort zone.

“Please, fuck me.” Quentin looked him dead in the eye and he knew he had him. Eliot’s eyes darkened. Eliot always liked when he asked nice.

Eliot performed a spell, quickly opening Quentin up and he shuffled out of his pants and before long, he was inside.

“Q...oh God, Q.” Eliot once again began to kiss Quentin, licking into his mouth. The he started to move and Quentin gasped.

“Eliot. Fuck, fuck, fuck, El!” He breathed into his mouth, helpless to do anything but be touched and licked and fucked, and if he was honest, that always kind of did it for Quentin. He came with only a shout as a warning and Eliot lasted a little longer, fucking him until it was slightly too sensitive.

He pulled out and did the small spells of cleaning up and setting Quentin’s arms free.

“Jesus, El.” He breathed out as the other man collapsed next to him on the bed. Eliot tentatively reached a hand out and Quentin took it, curling up into him.

“It’s like eleven in the morning, we can’t go back to sleep, can we?” Eliot asked, laughing.

“Why the fuck not? Everyone downstairs is drinking.” Q shrugged.

“Ah my adorable little lushes, growing up just like me.” Eliot’s teeth showed. He knocked out a cigarette from the pack he kept in his pants and lit it up with a tut.

“Smoking after sex. Cliché are we?” Quentin teased, stealing it from Eliot and taking a drag as well.

“I need to keep up the Oscar Wildian fantasy or how else will you remain so attracted to me?” Eliot asked, taking the cigarette back.

“I’ll find a way I guess.” He huffed, curling into Eliot’s shoulder and squeezing their connected fingers. "Makepeace, by the way." He mumbled.

"What, Q?"

"You called me Quentin 'Something' Coldwater. My middle name is Makepeace."

"Of course it is." Eliot smiled, but fondly instead of actually teasing.

"Shut up, farm boy." 

Eliot's mouth formed a perfect o and he lightly punched a laughing Quentin.


End file.
